WAPP re-elects Sule Abdulaziz for second term and prioritizes regional electricity market

WAPP re-elects Sule Abdulaziz for second term and prioritizes regional electricity market

From our journalist

Abuja (Core Reporters) – The West African Power Pool (WAPP) has unanimously re-elected the Chairman of its Executive Committee, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, for another three-year term, with regional electricity market integration, institutional reforms and financial sustainability high on the organisation’s agenda.

Abdulaziz was re-elected during the 68th WAPP Executive Committee meeting, held in Lomé, Togo, on 8 and 9 October 2026.

Speaking following his re-election, Abdulaziz thanked Council members for renewing their confidence in his leadership and pledged to continue working with member utilities to advance WAPP’s goals.

He urged member utilities to strengthen collective responsibility toward building a viable regional electricity market, stressing that executive committee meetings must produce decisions that improve the organization’s ability to address the region’s energy needs.

Abdulaziz recalled that the Council, at its 67th meeting, approved the principles for the progressive establishment of the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO), preserving operational continuity through the transitional role of the WAPP Information and Coordination Center (ICC).

He said the priority is to ensure that decisions are implemented within a sound legal, institutional and financial framework that safeguards the interests of WAPP and its members.

The President also underlined the importance of statutory contributions to the organisation’s autonomy and operational capacity, urging member services to fulfill their financial obligations.

“Legal contributions are not a formality; they are the basis of WAPP’s autonomy and ability to act,” he said.

He added that the Secretariat must sustain its cost-cutting initiatives without compromising critical functions needed to fulfill the organization’s mandate.

On technical priorities, Abdulaziz highlighted grid synchronization and the launch of the regional electricity market, describing synchronization as a major technical achievement that requires coordinated system operations, adequate security arrangements and market availability among participating utilities and stakeholders.

He noted that the regional electricity market could only deliver its full benefits if supported by clear and widely understood rules, reliable data, credible financial mechanisms and independent and effective governance.

Previously, WAPP Secretary General and Executive Committee Secretary Abdoulaye Dia said the organization had continued to implement guidelines and institutional strengthening measures towards the progressive operationalization of the ISMO since the 67th meeting.

According to Dia, the process includes functional and accounting separation, along with an orderly transition that allows the ICC to maintain operational continuity during Phase Two of the regional electricity market.

He said that WAPP’s progress and growing institutional visibility have attracted new partnerships, reaffirming the Secretariat’s commitment to the development of an integrated, reliable and competitive regional electricity system ahead of the expected launch of the second phase of the market early next year.

Addressing the status of member contributions and the Pool’s financial statement for 2025, Dia called on member services to settle outstanding financial obligations, stressing that regular funding, rigorous financial management and collective discipline were essential to WAPP’s credibility and service delivery.

The Council also considered a restructuring study into ISMO’s operations, a process intended to align the organization with international best practices and mitigate political interference as the regional electricity market evolves.

Among other decisions, the Council adopted the Charter of the Forum for Women in Energy in West Africa and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Millennium Challenge Account Côte d’Ivoire.

The meeting also welcomed new representatives from associated services to the executive committee.

They include Mr. Lawrence Tossou, the

Julien Sagna

the new CEO of the Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique (SBEE), representing Benin; Mr. Amidou Traore, the new General Director of CI-ENERGIES; and Mr. Julien Sagna, representing the Société de Gestion de l’Énergie de Manantali (SOGEM).

In another development, the Council reviewed membership applications from four utility companies seeking to join the regional energy pool.

The appellants are Konexa of Nigeria; Société de Gestion de l’Énergie de Sambangalou et du Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (SOGESART) of Senegal; Société de Gestion de l’Énergie des Ouvrages du Haut Bassin du Fleuve Sénégal (SOGEOH); and OLDEN–Niger SARL, an independent power producer in Niger.

It is expected that the requests will be ratified at the WAPP General Assembly scheduled for the end of 2026.